There’s always something going on in the art world. Every Monday, Agora starts the new week by looking back at what happened the week before. Here are our top art news stories from January 10th – January 16th, 2016.
This week we saw a good amount of public nudity and censorship.
Top Art News Stories
Source: artnet news
Photographer Redefines “Exposure”
Photographer Erica Simone has taken to the streets of New York completely naked as part of her project “Nue York: Self Portraits of a Bare Urban Citizen.” Simone says that her aim is to call into question the role of fashion in contemporary society. Questions have been raised about what the reception would be of the project if Simone were not a conventionally attractive, thin, young, white woman. Full Story Here →
Source: artnet news
Ai Weiwei Triggers Change With Lego’s Company Policy
We covered the recent Ai Weiwei/Lego battle in earlier round-ups, and we’re excited to share this update. After coming under fire for their refusal to sell their signature toy bricks to the Chinese dissident artist Ai Weiwei, Lego has decided to change its policy regarding bulk orders. Customers placing bulk orders of the brick will no longer be required to specify what they want to use them for. Full Story Here →
Indictment Imminent for Artist who Defecated on Israeli Flag
Israeli performance artist Natali Cohen Vaxberg is to be indicted soon on charges of desecrating the Israeli flag. She caused a stir last year when she released a video of her relieving herself on the Israeli flag as well as a number of other national flags. If she is found guilty of the offense, she could receive a one year jail sentence and/or a fine. Full Story Here →
Alexander Franz “Hiding Beauty” | Image: Underwater Photography Guide
Ocean Art Underwater Photo Contest: Winning Images Announced
The winners of The Underwater Photography Guides annual Ocean Art Underwater Photo Competition cover 12 categories and have been awarded over $70,000 in prizes between them. The contest is in its fifth year and received entries from as many as 50 countries. There are many amazing images, and you can view them all here: 2015 Ocean Art Contest Winners →
Censored Cartoons at Charlie Hebdo Tribute Exhibition in Tel Aviv Causes Uproar
An exhibition in honor of the terrorist attacks on Charlie Hebdo has come under criticism for allegedly censoring and not including artwork which features the Prophet Muhammad. One featured cartoonist has expressed concern that the censorship is removing the “symbolic heritage” of the killed satirists. Full Story Here →
Image Source: Bristol 247
Feminist Street Artist Undresses Queen Victoria Monument
Feminist street artist Vaj Graff has claimed responsibility for the recent “renovations” of a 19th century statue of Queen Victoria in Bristol. By painting naked legs and pubic hair on the monument, Graff represented female artists in the male dominated scene of street art. “I got a vaj. I got a can. And I ain’t afraid to use em.” The work has received mixed response. Full Story Here →
These are just some of the many news stories that caught our eye this past week. For more stories as-they-happen, be sure to also follow our Facebook and Twitter. You can also sign up for our newsletter for news about Agora Gallery, our exhibitions, and our artists!
We love to hear from you. Tell us about the art and news that you’ve seen online or in person this week!
